Various sites give out tips on avoiding hot weather issues during the summer, and the last weekend in June witnessed several required rescues in our local frontcountry. I often hike Rattlesnake Canyon and Tangerine Falls, where two hikers had problems, and in the past I’ve trekked up to Cathedral Peak, which you can see from Loreto Plaza, and then on to La Cumbre Peak.

At the same time, I do much enjoy summer hiking and recommend my own safe hiking ideas here based on 52 years of walking these and other local trails (some tips are obvious, but others are not).

• Appropriate apparel matters, and its importance is often overlooked. I always have my wide-brim hat (not a baseball cap). I don a long-sleeved, light-colored SPF shirt, often with a T-shirt underneath giving an option to remove the T-shirt en route. Heavy hiking boots help achy knees and hips. I apply sunscreen to my face and back of the hands and re-apply frequently. I wear large UV-blocking sunglasses.
  
• As an old gent, I always begin my hikes quite early, these days often at 6:30 a.m. — even 5:30 a.m. if the forecast is very high heat, and if you want some relative solitude there won’t be many others out at that time! Some recommend late afternoon departures, but these days after 6 p.m. is best, and often it’s still too hot for me then. Remember, the ground itself will be warm in the late afternoon.
  
• Carry plenty of water. In my fanny pack, which you can see in the photo, I have two ¾-liter water bottles and often I tote a 1.5-liter Camelbak water bag on my back. You may be able to share some if you meet hikers in distress on the trail (I have done this more than once). I also hydrate up before leaving my vehicle and generally avoid coffee (a diuretic).
  
• Plan shadier in-the-canyon routes such as Rattlesnake Canyon and the Jesusita Trail, and try to stay down low. Avoid sun-blasted trails such as the Bill Wallace Trail and the Tunnel Trail.
  
• It’s best to trek with an experienced hiker, although I do truly enjoy going solo. I carry a small medical kit and power bars in my fanny pack.
  
• Always tell a reliable friend of your plans, your return time and when you’ll call to tell them that you have made it back safely. Carry your fully charged cellphone but realize that at times you will be out of coverage, and don’t over-rely on it. Friends I know even carry an extra battery. A satellite phone is great, but the plan for one is expensive.
  
• Be aware of your specific physical condition the day you hike. I typically devour a large breakfast with heavy protein. Avoid “ambition” and imagine you’re “forest bathing” and simply embrace multiple shady breaks. I often sprawl in the dirt beneath a canopy of trees and snooze a bit — this isn’t a marathon or a sprint. 
  
• Ask yourself whether you are enjoying the activity. Take breaks whenever a spectacular view presents itself or the foliage attracts you while avoiding the poison oak (long trousers are best).

When hiking up Rattlesnake Canyon on this Fourth of July holiday, wild Pete and I noted only two other vehicles along Las Canoas Road, right there at Skofield Park. Returning, I encountered at least 50 happy hikers in all sorts of configurations, including young children, canines and a few oldsters like me. What a fine way to celebrate our nation’s 249^th birthday!

Alas, there were at least three parties who seemed unprepared for weather troubles. One fit-looking pair of delighted young men were valiantly jogging uphill — I used to do this with guru Franko back in the day — when we encountered them at Tin Shack Meadow (this is 1.7 miles up from the parking area on Las Canoas). They wore tennis shoes and running shorts, but no water, no fanny pack, no T-shirts, no hats — and their palpable jubilation startled me as they roared by to head up the very challenging Tunnel Connector (another steep mile) to Tunnel Trail.

The issue is that heat can spike quite dramatically from July through September, and 80 degrees might soar to 95 degrees or hotter while you are right out on the path. Endorphins surging, pleasant competition with your pal — oh gosh, I have been there!

Yet, Mother Nature is a harsh mistress and the illusion, “Oh, I’m only a few miles from my car and town,” can kill you despite your fitness, youth, energy and courage. We’ve had several deaths from such hubris at Gaviota Peak, on the Coldwater Trail and other local areas.

So, yes, get out there! But be thoughtful, and of course, my elaborate getup shown in the first photograph is overdone, but I know I will be OK. I’ve hiked and backpacked since 1971, and they’ve had to send out the Search and Rescue team for me only once, though I managed to wave it off and return safely from this extreme trek under my own steam.

That was in 2012, and I was able to struggle out on my own bearing my backpack because I had all the necessary support gear. (A trusty hiking partner prudently called in that I was many hours late for our stipulated rendezvous point.)

That was not my proudest moment!